DONETSK, Ukraine: Divisions are appearing among the pro-Russia separatists fighting the Ukrainian government.

The head of one influential rebel battalion in eastern Ukraine says he will not submit to the command of the military leader of the separatist insurgency.

Vostok commander Alexander Khodakovsky also said Thursday he would not abandon the rebel-held city of Donetsk even if ordered to do so. No such order has been issued, but rebel troops did flee from their stronghold in Slovyansk last weekend.

In the past two weeks, Ukrainian government troops have halved the amount of territory held by the rebels. Now they are vowing a blockade of Donetsk.

In another sign of deteriorating morale among rebels, several dozen militia fighters in Donetsk abandoned their weapons and fatigues Thursday, telling their superiors they were returning home.

Separately, Russia condemned on Thursday a European Union plan to extend the list of persons, including Russians, targeted with asset freezes and travel bans over the Ukraine crisis as an unfriendly move that would hinder ties with the 28-nation bloc.

The EU has agreed to add 11 new names to the list likely to take effect on Saturday, an EU diplomat said on Wednesday.





“Our attitude to the sanctions lists has not changed,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told a news conference. “This is an unfriendly act which cannot but reflect on the overall state of our relationship with the EU.”

“We are absolutely convinced that this is no method for cooperation between countries, between such major players as Russia and the European Union.”

The diplomat in Brussels said after a meeting of EU ambassadors that addressed the issue that the list consisted mainly of Ukrainian separatists but may include “one or two Russians there as well.”

The names will be published in the official journal of the European Union in the coming days.